CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – “I will never leave a fallen comrade”—it is a statement out of The Soldier's Creed, the Warrior Ethos, and a declaration soldiers live by.
“Defiant” soldiers of 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., demonstrated their camaraderie while competing in an event-filled weekend in celebration of 1st AATF oldiers reaching the mid-deployment mark in support of Operation New Dawn at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, April 16-17.
Although each company strived to be crowned “Defiant’s King,” uniting the companies together played an essential role in the weekend’s events.
“It was great to get out of the office and come out with my soldiers on this beautiful day,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Tonya Walker, senior enlisted leader of 1st BSTB.
Because BSTB is a support battalion, many soldiers are attached to different companies or other battalions, and some are stationed at completely different operating locations, Walker explained.
“I spoke with a soldier today who said he hadn’t seen his fellow BSTB soldiers in the last three months, and this weekend was great because he got to see and talk with his friends and leaders,” said Walker.
Soldiers started the weekend off with a 13.5 mile relay, consisting of nine-soldier teams running 1.5 miles per soldier.
As the final team approached the finish, a faded red flag waved in the distance. The closer the team came to the finish line, the more vivid the red flag seemed.
Combat engineers of team “Chaos,” Company C, 1st BSTB, sprinted across the finish line with their flag held high, signifying the importance of never leaving a comrade behind.
In addition to individual events, all four companies of BSTB put their teamwork to the test during ultimate football, volleyball and tug-of-war.
“My favorite event was ultimate football,” said Spc. Jeren Fullmore, a military policeman from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st BSTB. “I feel like out of all the events that we have done, that event used the most teamwork and strategy in order to win.”
Fullmore said the organized morale weekend served as a great way to get away from the daily stresses that he and other soldiers deal with on a day-to-day basis.
“It was great to see the unity this weekend brought for all of the companies, and it was even better to see how much it united the battalion as a whole,” said Fullmore.
As the Sunday sun lowered in the sky, the weekend extravaganza closed with a grueling contest of tug-o-war—a true team challenge to end the two-day event.
Teams of eight pulling each side of the rope dug their feet into the ground and gripped the rope, anticipating the start. A flag tied to the middle dipped into the deep pit of mud and water while the teams adjusted their positions.
When the whistle blew, instantaneous determination and strain painted the soldiers faces and grunts grew louder as the teams pulled back and forth. The flag shifted from left to right as each team endured the ongoing battle of determination to see which of them proved stronger.
As team Chaos slid further toward the pit, one member began yelling “Heave-Ho” to motivate his teammates. In unison, the team began moving the rope forward saying, “Heave!” and then together, using all their strength, pulled the rope back yelling, “Ho!”
The rest of the BSTB soldiers watching became inspired by the team’s efforts, and joined them in the chant. Together, team Chaos and the supporters motivating them pulled their way to victory, leaving the opposing team in a pool of mud, and the engineers crowned as “Defiant’s Kings.”